560 SOLANACH AL 
electuary, decoction, or powder; of the electuary a teaspoonful 
and a half are given .twice daily.” -(Mat Ind. ii., 427.) lt 
appears to be used asa substitute for S. canthocarpum. The 
medicinal use of S, verbascifolium, S. torvum and S$. 
ferox has also been recorded, and it seems probable that these 
Nightshades are often mistaken by ignorant people for the 
officinal plants. 
PHYSALIS ALKEKENGI, Linn. 
* Winter Cherry (Zng.), Coqueret, Coquerelle (F’r.). 
Hab.—Persia, Southern Europe. The fruit. 
Vernacular.—Kaknaj (Arab., Ind. Bazars). 
. History, Uses, &c,—tThis plant appears to be the opxvs 
éduxaxéBds of the Greeks, which they also ‘called pucadis or Pueahhus; 
and the Vesicaria or Halicacabus of the Romans; it was sup- 
posed to cure diseases of the bladder. It is the Kékanah of the 
Persians and Kékanaj of the Arabs.: It also bears the names 
of Kachuman; and Artisak-pas-i-pardah, or “‘ bride behind the 
-curtain,” in Persia; the Sanskrit name is said to be Réjapu- 
trika. 
Abu Hanifeh, author of the Book of Plants, says of Kaka- 
naj:—“ It is of the Aghalith and isa plant resembling the 
Harmal (Peganum Harmala), except that it is taller, with 
round branches, and having capsules (-i%) like those of 
_ Harmal ; it has also berries intensely red, like beads of corne- 
lian, smaller than the Nabik (Zizyphus Spina-Christi) and 
rer than the currant, and people seek out the leaves thereof 
‘that have not been rendered foraminous, which leaves are 
then bruised and used beneficially as a dressing for maladies 
attended with pain.” Other names for the fruit are Jouz-el- 
marj and Habb-el-lahv, which indicate. that they are thopem® 
to be possessed of intoxicating properties. “2 
sicians, describe, it as. diuretic, alleratixe. and 
